I had thought something along the same lines. Not having Masonic connections myself I speak from a rather detached and one might even say ignorant standpoint. However, I understand that in the late 18th century, Freemasonry was very appealing to those who hoped for a more rational and ordered form of society and ran in parallel to what we now call the enlightenment. It plays a significant part in War and Peace by Tolstoy and I think that as a pan-European movement, it was associated with some of the ideas which came with the French Revolution. As the English establishment were a more than a little nervous of such things, this lead to a certain tension.

Much of the independent development of Newcastle about that time can be traced to members of dissenting and non-conformist religious groupings, who being denied access to Universities and so forth, found other channels to express their creativity and played a large part in the founding of the Literary and Philosophical Society and the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne.

It is my understanding is that it was only the Roman Catholic Church which was implacably opposed to Freemasonry and other churches did not try to restrict their members in this direction.

The other point is that it started in its modern form(?) in Scotland and was centred there. Tolstoy's character visits Scotland to study it somewhere between 1800-1810 (can't remember exactly, it's a long time since I read it). Many of Edinburgh's literati were Masons - there's a painting of a meeting with a Border piper in it (by Allan Ramsay?)

Northumberland looked to Edinburgh, not London, as its social centre at this time.

Julia Say wrote:Northumberland looked to Edinburgh, not London, as its social centre at this time.

Although the connection to Edinburgh was very important at the time, I have read recently in an early 19th Century publication: There are more people in Newcastle familiar with London than in many a town far closer to that city.Thomas Bewick worked in London for a while, and Charles Avison, the composer worked in both cities.

This time saw a massive increase in the coal trade from the Tyne with the introduction of steam pumps to allow access to deeper reserves. This in turn lead to the expansion of other industries, which could make use of such a ready source of energy. So Tyneside drew in new workers of all classes from all directions, and exported a significant number highly skilled technologists to other industrial parts of the Nation.

Returning to Adrians question, the pipes having the apparently masonic device are by Martin Dunn. Probably no more of a relative to the more famous John Dunn than Denis Dunn their eventual owner! But who knows . . .

Francis - just a thought - maybe the journal could use a Dunn write up to clarify the various "Dunn" makers (of nsp or otherwise). It would clear up the confusions which have crept in in years gone by, as people leapt to (now) unjustifiable conclusions in their research (it happens!!)

Not uncommon to put the pattern on things in 1800's.http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/grandlodge/trademark.htmlAlthough the compasses on Dunn's instruments are curved, I can find no reference to them, as all compasses are straight in any reference I look at. By the way, if it is a masonic device, it is English not Scottish. Therefore, Dunn could have been part of a Scottish lodge in England!